The municipality is bordered by the Bizana Local Municipality to the north, the Port St John’s Local Municipality to the south and the Ntabankulu Local Municipality to the northwest. It comprises the magisterial areas of Lusikisiki and Flagstaff. The surface area is 2 477km2 and the population density is 112,4people per square kilometre. Economic activity is largely subsistence farming, although the Magwa Tea Plantation provides limited commercial productivity as well as job opportunities.
read more »This municipality is one of the five that make up the O.R. Tambo District Municipality. It comprises two magisterial areas, viz. Libode and Ngqeleni. It has a largely rural/traditional character. It is bordered in the south-west by the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality. In the north, it is bordered by the Mhlontlo Local Municipality and in the east by the Ntabankulu, Ingquza Hill and Port St John Local Municipalities. The population according to Census 2011 is 290 390 people, which is 21,3% of the population of O.R. Tambo District. In 2001, the population was 274 416 people, which constituted 21,2% of the district population.
The municipality covers an area of 4 231 square kilometers, which gives a population density of 68,6 persons per square kilometer. The municipality’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture.
read more »Umzimvubu Local Municipality is one amongst four local municipalities that fall under the Alfred Nzo District Municipality located in the northern region of the Eastern Cape. It stretches to the border of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. It is formed by two towns, Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff, which are geographically located along the N2 route between Mthatha and Kokstad (http://www.localgovernment.co.za).
read more »The Kopanong Local Municipalityis situated in southern Free State. It has the largest surface area of the three local municipalities in the Xhariep district, covering 15 190 km2.
The nine towns situated in Kopanong are Trompsburg(municipal head office), Gariep Dam, Springfontein, Bethulie, Philippolis, Jagersfontein, Fauresmith, Edenburg and Reddersburg.
Kopanong has an immense potential for tourism. The largest dam in South Africa, the Gariep Dam, is situated at the southern border of the region. The potential of this huge water body for tourism is endless.
It is ideal for water sport such as sailing, windsurfing, fishing, etc. It is also the venue of the Gariep 500 rubberduck race, which is the longest inland rubber-duck race in the world, and the Gariep Water Sport Festival.
read more »There are two municipalities in South Africa with the name Naledi, one in the Free State province and the other in the North West province. Naledi Local Municipality in the Free State province is located in the Xhariep District Municipality, sharing its eastern border with the country of Lesotho.read more »
The diverse structure of the South African economy is a critical aspect of its historical and current growth performance. The manufacturing sector continues to occupy a significant share of the South Africa economy, despite its relative importance declining from 19 percent in 1993 to about 17 percent in 2012 in real terms.
In line with structural changes in many economies, it not surprising to observe that the finance, real estate and business services sector has increase its relative importance of 17 per cent in 1993 to approximately 24 per cent in 2012. These two sectors and a few more are an important part of the South African growth story since the dawn of democracy.
Despite that, less than a decade into the 21st century, many countries, including South Africa, experienced the global economic crisis.This has affected economic growth in South Africa over the last four years, prompting a deceleration in rate of economic growth.
South Africa experienced an average growth rate of approximately 5 per cent in real terms between 2004 and 2007. However, the period 2008 to 2012 only recorded average growth just above 2 per cent; largely a result of the global economic recession.
Of the nine provinces in South Africa, three power houses stand out. Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape collectively contribute a significant portion to the country’s value added, reported at over 60 percent.
read more »The diverse structure of the South African economy is a critical aspect of its historical and current growth performance. The manufacturing sector continues to occupy a significant share of the South Africa economy, despite its relative importance declining from 19 percent in 1993 to about 17 percent in 2012 in real terms. In line with structural changes in many economies, it not surprising to observe that the finance, real estate and business services sector has increase its relative importance of 17 per cent in 1993 to approximately 24 per cent in 2012. These two sectors and a few more are an important part of the South African growth story since the dawn of democracy.read more »
The history of agricultural statistics in South Africa goes back as far back as the beginning of the 20th century. With the exception of the World Wars and great depression years, an agricultural census was conducted on annual basis in the first half of the 20th century. As agriculture’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) decreased over the years, so did the frequency of conducting agricultural censuses. Post 1994, agricultural censuses have been conducted on a five yearly basis, with annual surveys being conducted in between the census years. Until now, agricultural censuses and surveys have largely concentrated on commercial agriculture leaving out small-scale and subsistence agriculture.
In 2009, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) conducted an audit of agricultural statistics in the country. One of the findings was that the country lacked information on smallholder and subsistence agriculture. The current list of farmers being used to conduct surveys was mainly confined to commercial agriculture.
A decision was taken that three questions related to agriculture would be included in the Population Census 2011 (Census 2011) questionnaire. The main objective was to identify all households involved in agriculture in the country, so that a complete frame of all individuals and entities involved in agriculture (both subsistence and commercial) could be generated. This will allow for a comprehensive agricultural census to be conducted.read more »
Poverty is a key development challenge in social, economic and political terms; not only in South Africa but throughout the developing world. In post-apartheid South Africa, fighting the legacy of poverty and under-development has always been a central theme of Government. This was cemented in the Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP) of 1994 and reiterated in the National Development Plan (NDP) published in 2011.
The guiding objectives of the NDP is the elimination of poverty and the reduction in inequality and all the elements of the plan must demonstrate their effect on these two objectives. The Living Conditions Survey (LCS) and the Income and Expenditure Survey (IES) conducted by Stats SA are the two primary contributors toward profiling and monitoring poverty and inequality over time.
These two surveys are fundamental components to the survey programme of any statistical agency. They are the leading tools for the measurement of absolute poverty and inequality and they are an extremely important building block for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to stay current with the changing spending and consumption patterns of the country.
read more »In the year 2000 the South African government, along with other members of the United Nations (UN), committed to a national and global plan of action to reduce poverty and ensure the development of its people. The sixth and final Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Country Report for 2015 provides an overview of the progress South Africa has made towards achieving the eight MDGs. In addition, it provides an historical account of South Africa’s development in numbers. The MDGs are:
- To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- To promote universal primary education
- To promote gender equality and empower women
- To reduce child mortality
- To improve maternal health
- To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- To ensure environmental sustainability
- To develop a global partnership for the development.
This report reflects the intense national effort, from a range of institutions, organisations and individuals, to improve the lives of all South Africans; particularly the poor and marginalised. A great many people have contributed to this report through their participation in various consultative fora across the country, often at great expense and sacrifice. What started 15 years ago certainly does not end here, and reporting on development issues will continue through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is therefore critical that South Africa’s unfinished MDG business, as well as emerging developmental issues, be appropriately integrated within the SDGs in a manner that places the spotlight on them, while providing adequate direction and impetus for effective planning, development of appropriate policies and budgets, and the construction of appropriate national monitoring and reporting systems.
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